HOUSTON, Feb. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Despite the worst economy in a generation, apartment construction and operations contributed $4.5 billion to the metro Houston economy supporting 38,000 local jobs in 2011, according to a new report released today by the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) and the National Apartment Association (NAA). In addition, apartments and their residents contributed $93 billion to Texas' economy supporting 2.2 million jobs. The report, along with an interactive map and economic impact calculator, is available on the new website www.WeAreApartments.org.

Based on research by economist Stephen S. Fuller, Ph.D., of George Mason University's Center for Regional Analysis, the report covers the economic contribution of apartment construction, operations and resident spending on a national level plus all 50 states. In addition, construction and operations data is available for 12 metro areas: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

Highlights from the report include:

Within the Houston metro area, apartment construction and operations contributed $4.5 billion to the economy, supporting 38,000 local jobs in 2011.

$429 million was spent on new apartment construction, creating an economic contribution of $908 million supporting 7,100 local jobs in 2011.

Within Texas, apartment construction contributed $4.6 billion to the state economy supporting 35,000 jobs in 2011.

Operating the state's 1.8 million apartment homes created a total economic impact of $12.4 billion to Texas supporting 182,000 jobs.

Texas' 3.4 million apartment residents spent $36.2 billion on goods and services within the state in 2011, creating a total economic impact of $76.0 billion supporting 2 million jobs.

"The apartment industry provides homes to nearly 50 percent of Houstonians and creates thousands of good paying, local jobs," said Mack Armstrong, president of the Houston Apartment Association. "The report shows just how important apartments and our residents are to Houston and to Texas—contributing billions to the state's economy."

"Although attention is usually focused on homebuilding and the single-family sector, the annual construction and operating outlays for apartment buildings with five or more units are major sources of economic activity, jobs and personal earnings," Fuller said. "In addition, the residents of apartment buildings constitute an important source of local, state and national economic activity as their spending for goods and services is recycled through the economy. Like the operating outlays for apartment buildings, the spending by renters recurs annually thereby supporting local economies on an ongoing basis."

In conjunction with the study's release, the new website www.WeAreApartments.org breaks down the data by each state and the 12 metro areas through an interactive map. Visitors can also use ACE, the Apartment Community Estimator, a new tool that allows users to enter the number of apartment homes of an existing or proposed community to determine the potential economic impact within Texas or any of the 50 states.

"For the first time we're able to quantify the tremendous economic impact of apartment residents across the country, in addition to the powerful contributions from apartment construction and operations," said NAA Chairman of the Board Alexandra Jackiw CPM, CAPS. "It truly shows a comprehensive view of the industry's critical role not just in housing, but to the economy at large."

"Even in one of the worst economic climates we've ever seen, the multifamily industry and its 35 million residents contributed more than $1 trillion to the economy," said NMHC Chairman Thomas S. Bozzuto, CEO, The Bozzuto Group. "With up to seven million new renter households forming this decade—almost half of all new households—the dollars and jobs we add to the economy will only grow in magnitude."

For more information or to download the report "The Trillion Dollar Apartment Industry", visit www.WeAreApartments.org.

Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, Texas. Includes Austin County, Brazoria County, Chambers County, Fort Bend County, Galveston County, Harris County, Liberty County, Montgomery County, San Jacinto County and Waller County.

About the Houston Apartment Association:

The Houston Apartment Association is a professional trade association that serves individuals and businesses involved in the ownership, construction, management, maintenance and operation of apartments and other rental dwellings in the Houston area. See www.haaonline.org for more information.

About NAA/NMHC:

For more than 20 years, the National Apartment Association (NAA) and the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) have partnered on behalf of America's apartment industry. Drawing on the knowledge and policy expertise of staff in Washington, D.C., as well as the advocacy power of 170 NAA state and local affiliated associations, NAA and NMHC provide a single voice for developers, owners and operators of multifamily rental housing. One-third of Americans rent their housing and 35 million people live in an apartment home. For more information, contact: